MSC continues fleet expansion programme

TERRY HUTSON
FOR THE past 33 years Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) has been a part of the Durban scene, but not always in as prominent a role as now. It’s come a long way since 1973 when the first ship sailed right around Africa – a story that has been told many times by a proud Captain Salvatore Sarno, chairman and MD of MSC in South Africa. He knows the story so well because he was a deck officer on the ship. Who hasn’t heard the tale of the voyage of the Rafaela, circumnavigating the African continent armed only with a school atlas for a chart. Of such things are legends born. Today MSC is one of the world’s great shipping companies, with its strength established in containers also but a major player in cruise ship operations. In the early days all ships were second-hand tonnage, of the sort that competitors would occasionally have a quiet chuckle at their expense. Not any more. MSC today has the world’s second largest container fleet, and unlike most of its competitors has grown its strength organically, not through takeovers. And likewise today’s fleet is a new fleet with additional tonnage being added almost monthly. Between 2000 and 2005 for example the fleet grew from 140 ships to 278 and container volumes extended from 2.5 million TEUs in 2000 to 6.5 million by 2005. Many of these ships are newbuilds of the ultra large size – this year the company began taking delivery of the Pamela class which (nominally) can carry 9 200 TEUs. As recently as early June MSC confirmed orders for a further eight ships of 9 600 TEU capacity, which include extending the size of two 5 000-TEU vessels currently on order. And this organic growth is not limited to newbuilds on international trade. Locally MSC has introduced larger tonnage on many of its major routes to South Africa and even the smaller coastal trades are experiencing growth. The South Africa - West Africa service will shortly see the addition of a fourth ship, bringing with it the extension of the service to Durban instead of turning at Cape Town. Similarly on the cruise side of things MSC just keeps on growing – the fleet size is about to extend to eight ships when the latest, MSC Musica, becomes operative on July 1 this year. By 2009 MSC’s fleet of cruise ships will have increased to 12 ships – nine of them either newbuilds or very recent tonnage. Two ships in the fleet, Melody and Monterey, will reposition in Durban where they will operate the coming summer season, with Monterey remaining in Durban for the following winter as well. Now there’s confidence for you.